Trauma in elderly people: access to the health system through pre-hospital care

• Published in: Revista latino-americana de enfermagem Vol. 24; p. e2690
• Main Authors: da Silva, Hilderjane Carla, Pessoa, Renata de Lima, de Menezes, Rejane Maria Paiva
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese; Spanish
• Published: Brazil Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto / Universidade de São Paulo 2016; Universidade de São Paulo
• Subjects: Accidental Falls - statistics & numerical data; Accidents, Traffic - statistics & numerical data; Age Distribution; Aged; Ancianos; Atencíon Pre-hospitalaria; Emergency Medical Services; Enfermería; Female; Heridas y Traumatismos; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; NURSING; Prevalence; Retrospective Studies; Sex Distribution; Wounds and Injuries - epidemiology; Traumatismos; Nursing; Wounds and Injuries; Idoso; Assistência Pré-hospitalar; Pre-Hospital Care; Enfermagem; Atencíon Pre-hospitalaria; Heridas y Traumatismos; Ancianos; Enfermería; Elderly
• ISSN: 0104-1169; 1518-8345; 1518-8345; 0104-1169
• DOI: 10.1590/1518-8345.0959.2690

to identify the prevalence of trauma in elderly people and how they accessed the health system through pre-hospital care. documentary and retrospective study at a mobile emergency care service, using a sample of 400 elderly trauma victims selected through systematic random sampling. A form validated by experts was used to collect the data. Descriptive statistical analysis was applied. The chi-square test was used to analyze the association between the variables. Trauma was predominant among women (52.25%) and in the age range between 60 and 69 years (38.25%), average age 74.19 years (standard deviation±10.25). Among the mechanisms, falls (56.75%) and traffic accidents (31.25%) stood out, showing a significant relation with the pre-hospital care services (p<0.001). Circulation, airway opening, cervical control and immobilization actions were the most frequent and Basic Life Support Services (87.8%) were the most used, with trauma referral hospitals as the main destination (56.7%). trauma prevailed among women, victims of falls, who received pre-hospital care through basic life support services and actions and were transported to the trauma referral hospital. It is important to reorganize pre-hospital care, avoiding overcrowded hospitals and delivering better care to elderly trauma victims.